Telangana: Satyam scam-convicted to challenge verdict
A Hyderabad court on Monday dismissed an appeal petition challenging the verdict of the special court in the case filed by Satyam scam convicts B Ramalinga Raju and nine others. The Metropolitan Sessions Court said that it had no jurisdiction over the special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation. The convicted men had challenged the court’s verdict on the grounds that the court had not considered the defence's argument. The petition had also sought bail for the ten men. The convicts are likely to challenge the sentence in the Hyderabad High Court. The special court on April 9 had sentenced the accused to seven years rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in the multi-crore accounting scam. It also levied a fine of Rs 5.5 crore each on Raju and his brother, Rama Raju.
Maharashtra: State denies beef ban violates basic rights
The Maharashtra government on Monday denied that its ban on the sale and possession of beef violated any fundamental rights. The law implementing the ban had been brought into effect as the state was still dependent on agriculture and will prevent cruelty to animals, said an affidavit filed by the government with the Bombay High Court. The government clarified that there was no total ban on the import of meat or livestock. It added that the law had received the President’s assent and had been issued in public interest. The affidavit was submitted in response to a clutch of petitions challenging the law. A two-judge bench scheduled the case for further hearing on Tuesday.
Uttar Pradesh: BJP MLAs return allegedly insulting gifts
Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs in Uttar Pradesh on Monday decided to return gifts given to them by state Urban Development Minister Azam Khan because they were meant as a taunt about the saffron party’s defeat in the Delhi assembly elections. Party leaders said that Khan had sent them packages that included brooms, the election symbol of the Aam Aadmi Party, which won the Delhi polls. “While gifts should not be returned out of courtesy, gifts packed along with a broom speak of wrong intentions,” said Dharmpal Singh, the party’s deputy leader in the Legislative assembly. However, an MLA of the ruling Samajwadi Party criticised the decision. “When top party leaders themselves propagate cleaning with a broom, why are their MLAs returning the gifts given along with a broom?” asked the MLA.
Bihar: Nitish overturning welfare measures, says Manjhi
Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday said that the welfare measures taken by his government had been overturned by current chief minister Nitish Kumar. Manjhi alleged that Nitish had used him as a mask to avoid the Janata Dal (United)’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Law and order had collapsed in the state and corruption in the government had increased as well. He also accused bureaucrats in the state of ignoring the marginalised sections. “Nitish Kumar will not always be Chief Minister of the state so I would appeal to the bureaucrats to work impartially,” said Manjhi at a rally organised by his outfit, the Hindustani Awam Morcha. Manjhi has stated that he would not enter into a pre-poll alliance with any party during the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
Delhi: Court refuses to hear Pachauri travel plea
A Delhi court on Monday refused to hear the plea of The Energy and Resources Institute Director-General RK Pachauri, who had sought permission to travel abroad. Pachauri, who is facing sexual harassment charges from an employee of the institute, had requested permission to attend the Global Water Summit in Greece. However, Prashant Mendirata, the counsel for the complainant in the case against him said that the plea was not maintainable as a First Information Report had already been filed. “Under the laid provisions and rules only a Mahilla Court of metropolitan magistrate can provide any relief to the accused,” Mendirata added. Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kumar Tripathi has allowed Pachauri to file a fresh application before the metropolitan magistrate with the territorial jurisdiction in the case.
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A Hyderabad court on Monday dismissed an appeal petition challenging the verdict of the special court in the case filed by Satyam scam convicts B Ramalinga Raju and nine others. The Metropolitan Sessions Court said that it had no jurisdiction over the special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation. The convicted men had challenged the court’s verdict on the grounds that the court had not considered the defence's argument. The petition had also sought bail for the ten men. The convicts are likely to challenge the sentence in the Hyderabad High Court. The special court on April 9 had sentenced the accused to seven years rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in the multi-crore accounting scam. It also levied a fine of Rs 5.5 crore each on Raju and his brother, Rama Raju.
Maharashtra: State denies beef ban violates basic rights
The Maharashtra government on Monday denied that its ban on the sale and possession of beef violated any fundamental rights. The law implementing the ban had been brought into effect as the state was still dependent on agriculture and will prevent cruelty to animals, said an affidavit filed by the government with the Bombay High Court. The government clarified that there was no total ban on the import of meat or livestock. It added that the law had received the President’s assent and had been issued in public interest. The affidavit was submitted in response to a clutch of petitions challenging the law. A two-judge bench scheduled the case for further hearing on Tuesday.
Uttar Pradesh: BJP MLAs return allegedly insulting gifts
Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs in Uttar Pradesh on Monday decided to return gifts given to them by state Urban Development Minister Azam Khan because they were meant as a taunt about the saffron party’s defeat in the Delhi assembly elections. Party leaders said that Khan had sent them packages that included brooms, the election symbol of the Aam Aadmi Party, which won the Delhi polls. “While gifts should not be returned out of courtesy, gifts packed along with a broom speak of wrong intentions,” said Dharmpal Singh, the party’s deputy leader in the Legislative assembly. However, an MLA of the ruling Samajwadi Party criticised the decision. “When top party leaders themselves propagate cleaning with a broom, why are their MLAs returning the gifts given along with a broom?” asked the MLA.
Bihar: Nitish overturning welfare measures, says Manjhi
Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday said that the welfare measures taken by his government had been overturned by current chief minister Nitish Kumar. Manjhi alleged that Nitish had used him as a mask to avoid the Janata Dal (United)’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Law and order had collapsed in the state and corruption in the government had increased as well. He also accused bureaucrats in the state of ignoring the marginalised sections. “Nitish Kumar will not always be Chief Minister of the state so I would appeal to the bureaucrats to work impartially,” said Manjhi at a rally organised by his outfit, the Hindustani Awam Morcha. Manjhi has stated that he would not enter into a pre-poll alliance with any party during the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
Delhi: Court refuses to hear Pachauri travel plea
A Delhi court on Monday refused to hear the plea of The Energy and Resources Institute Director-General RK Pachauri, who had sought permission to travel abroad. Pachauri, who is facing sexual harassment charges from an employee of the institute, had requested permission to attend the Global Water Summit in Greece. However, Prashant Mendirata, the counsel for the complainant in the case against him said that the plea was not maintainable as a First Information Report had already been filed. “Under the laid provisions and rules only a Mahilla Court of metropolitan magistrate can provide any relief to the accused,” Mendirata added. Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kumar Tripathi has allowed Pachauri to file a fresh application before the metropolitan magistrate with the territorial jurisdiction in the case.